BJP picks Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra in bypolls team after omitting him initially

Bengaluru: Hours after former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s son and Karnataka BJP Vice President B Y Vijayendra appealed to his followers to refrain from expressing anger against his non-inclusion in the list of in-charges for the October 30 bypolls, the party on Monday picked him in the team for the Hangal assembly segment.

The bypolls for Sindgi and Hangal assembly segments will be held on October 30 and counting of votes will be taken up on November 2

“Some of our Karyakarthas have expressed their anger and anguish about my non-inclusion in the list of in-charge for Sindgi & Hanagal by-elections. My appeal to them: please refrain from making comments that embarrass our party, leaders, or me,” Vijayendra tweeted.

He said, “As the Karnataka BJP Vice President, I will actively campaign for the party candidates in both constituencies. Let us focus all our energies on ensuring victory in both the seats and further strengthen the party.”

Vijayendra’s name did not figure in the group of in-charges announced by the party on October 1. He is in the revised list released on Monday as in-charge for Hangal.

Vijayendra is among the 13 in-charges for Hangal seat that include Ministers Murugesh Nirani, J C Madhuswamy, B C Patil, Shivaram Hebbar, and Member of Parliament Shivakumar Udasi. The In-charges for Sindgi seat include Ministers Govind Karjol, V Somanna, C C Patil and Shashikala Jolle.

The by-elections have been necessitated as they fell vacant following the death of JD(S) legislator M C Manguli in Sindgi and BJP”s C M Udasi in Hangal.

According to sources, the list of probable candidates for Hangal assembly segment include Revati Udasi, daughter-in-law of late former MLA C M Udasi and wife of Haveri-Gadag MP Shivakumar Udasi, Kalyan Kumar Shettar, and Shivaraj Sajjanar.

Names doing the rounds for Sindgi seat include Ramesh Bhusanur, who had contested from BJP in 2018, Ashok Allapura, Shambulinga Kakkalameli, Siddu Biradar and Sanganagouda Patil.

Vijayendra, who played a key role for BJP”s victory in earlier bypolls to K R Pet and Sira assembly segments, was earlier speculated in some quarters as a probable candidate from Hangal.

The JD(S) has already named Shakeel Ahmed Angadi and Niyaz Shaikh as its

candidates for the Sindgi and Hangal assembly seats.

The Congress has finalised M C Managuli”s son Ashok Managuli, who has joined the party, as its candidate from Sindgi, and according to sources, former MLC Srinivas Mane is likely to be its candidate from Hangal.